⭐ Official Review [Single]: 14. "I WON'T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU"/"ONE LOVE" (1521-S)

Which side is your favorite?

  • Side A: "I Won't Last A Day Without You"

    Votes: 43 78.2%
  • Side B: "One Love"

    Votes: 12 21.8%

  • Total voters
    55
That coda also appeared one other place - THE NATION'S FAVOURITE CARPENTERS SONGS in the UK. The descending of the keys really goes nowhere as the next song is "Jambalaya", rendering the intended key change of the coda useless.

I always wondered if the UK team compiling this collection used the wrong master and didn’t realise it had the odd, alternate ending.
 
Anyone have a copy of this 1972 UK Single?
I Won't Last A Day Without You backed by Goodbye To Love.
[/URL]
Later switched sides ?
CARPENTERS . GOODBYE TO LOVE . / I WON'T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU . 1972 CLASSIC | eBay
I just got this in the mail. It seems to be a misprint as the 45 actually contains the Beach Boys “Surfin USA/Good Vibrations”!





Not! Although “I wWon’t Last A Day Without You” seems to be missing the guitar flourish near the end that I think it had on the 74-78 record. Also both tracks seem to be more centred and there’s not a lot of stereo separation. Plus they seem more baddy, but that might be because this is probably another analog generation away from the original master than the North American releases or the CD releases.
 
I just got this in the mail. It seems to be a misprint as the 45 actually contains the Beach Boys “Surfin USA/Good Vibrations”!





Not! Although “I wWon’t Last A Day Without You” seems to be missing the guitar flourish near the end that I think it had on the 74-78 record. Also both tracks seem to be more centred and there’s not a lot of stereo separation. Plus they seem more baddy, but that might be because this is probably another analog generation away from the original master than the North American releases or the CD releases.

The UK single was of course released in 1972, so featured the original album version, as the remix for the single version wasn't done until 1974.
 
He does a great version. I mentioned it almost a year ago now. It opened up a whole world of his songs for me. It was from a Carpenters Tribute Show, and I think he was one of the hosts. It deserves the promotion you are giving it!
 
He does a great version. I mentioned it almost a year ago now. It opened up a whole world of his songs for me. It was from a Carpenters Tribute Show, and I think he was one of the hosts. It deserves the promotion you are giving it!

I remember thinking most of the other acts on this show were terrible. Ronan's wasn't a bad performance, just weird hearing a male voice sing it.
 
I remember thinking most of the other acts on this show were terrible. Ronan's wasn't a bad performance, just weird hearing a male voice sing it.

I wanted to hear if the writer, Paul Williams had recorded it, and he writes great songs, but feel he's a better writer than recording artist. I think Karen does this one the best!

 
It seems when Richard added the bridge to Wont Last a Day Williams really took it personally and was openly upset, despite it making the song more compelling. He claimed that’s the reason why it stalled at #11, but that just sounds like bitterness.
Was he still upset when the royalty checks started rolling in?

I think it was a miracle that the single made it as far as #11. Carpenters fans had been listening to the song for TWO YEARS already, on the ASFY album, and were waiting and hoping for new music - not an old song, with an even older B side! It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of fans decided to pass on buying the single.
 
Was he still upset when the royalty checks started rolling in?

I think it was a miracle that the single made it as far as #11. Carpenters fans had been listening to the song for TWO YEARS already, on the ASFY album, and were waiting and hoping for new music - not an old song, with an even older B side! It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of fans decided to pass on buying the single.

It really was a testament to their popularity and the strength of the song that it was a hit two years later, making it just outside the top 10. His ego was bruised that he didn’t come up with the part that helped make the recording standout, but the money probably helped soothe him some.
 
It’s a great song with a fantastic bridge! Better than the one Paul came up with and people usually sing Richard’s bridge! It always sounds weird hearing Paul’s! Richard was really great 1969 - 1974 on most everything!
 
What I like about Ronan's (I listened to the 2nd one above) is that the slower tempo is really very nice. I think the Carpenters version could have been a bit more emotional if the tempo had been slowed down just a tad. Karen at times seems to be rushing through the song. I would have loved to hear her really linger on the words more much like how Ronan does on his version. It puts more emphasis on the words which Karen really excels in her performances.
 
It really was a testament to their popularity and the strength of the song that it was a hit two years later, making it just outside the top 10. His ego was bruised that he didn’t come up with the part that helped make the recording standout, but the money probably helped soothe him some.

In Canada it peaked at #7 on the Top Singles Chart, which seems to be its highest on any Pop chart. So it was a Top 10 hit in Canada.

And which part is the bridge? Is it the “Touch Me and I end up singing”?
 
Was he still upset when the royalty checks started rolling in?

I think it was a miracle that the single made it as far as #11. Carpenters fans had been listening to the song for TWO YEARS already, on the ASFY album, and were waiting and hoping for new music - not an old song, with an even older B side! It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of fans decided to pass on buying the single.

I bought it just like it was a ‘new’ single. The newly-added Peluso part hooked me instantly. I did indeed have the ‘A Song For You’ LP for two years already, but I still gladly took the bait. 👍👍
 
What I like about Ronan's (I listened to the 2nd one above) is that the slower tempo is really very nice. I think the Carpenters version could have been a bit more emotional if the tempo had been slowed down just a tad. Karen at times seems to be rushing through the song. I would have loved to hear her really linger on the words more much like how Ronan does on his version. It puts more emphasis on the words which Karen really excels in her performances.

The tempo in Ronan's version sounds faster than the Carpenters' version to me, particularly on the chorus. I don't rate him as an artist (most of his 'Boyzone' output and a good bit of his early solo material is pretty awful) but it's an OK version.

If anything, I think the album version of 'I Won't Last a Day Without You' is a little too slow and 'bare'. In that state I can see why it might not have been an automatic choice for a single. The 1974 single version helped remedy that by adding just a bit more punch with the guitar licks on the chorus. Unfortunately the subsequent 1991 remix watered all that down again, so it's back to sounding a bit lacking.
 
What I like about Ronan's (I listened to the 2nd one above) is that the slower tempo is really very nice. I think the Carpenters version could have been a bit more emotional if the tempo had been slowed down just a tad. Karen at times seems to be rushing through the song.

It’s not Karen that’s too fast, it’s Hal Blaine on the drums. The tempo speeds up in the last chorus and the tom tom fills are also far too busy for my liking.
 
A bit ancillary to the discussion, but telling:
Billboard's year-end list (December 26, 1974) of top
Easy Listening artists has Carpenters at #13 and
for Singles the duo at #27 (I Won't Last A Day Without You).
Also, after eight weeks (June 1, 1974) on the Billboard Top 100, the song was #17, on June 22 it was down to #35.
 
Personally there’s something about the song that I’ve never really liked. I enjoy the sediment of the lyrics I just don’t like the song. I thought maybe it was the tempo but maybe it gets to busy towards the end and that’s why it feels rushed to me. But as a whole not my favorite song. Speaking of rainbows, I get more emotion from the song, The Rainbow Connection than from I Won’t Last A Day Without You.
 
^^Very interesting ! I am completely opposite, in that I absolutely love I Won't Last A Day Without You
and do not care as much for Rainbow Connection !
Especially, as it relates to Carpenters' versions,
Rainbow Connection is one of my least played and
I Won't Last A Day Without You
is one of my most played.
 
If I could only listen to one Carpenter song for the rest of my life it would be "I Won't Last a Day a Without You" with "We've Only Just Begun" coming in a close second. It is their quintessential recording with a flawless arrangement, Karen's sultry vocals, perfect harmonies and the best closing to any of their songs in my opinion. If released earlier in their career (should have been chosen over "It's Going To Take Some Time") I think it would have easily climbed to the top 3 on the charts instead of #11.
 
I always thought the rushed end made the song less favorable, and it seems through the years that has been fixed. The single version did sound a little faster and those with fast BSR turntables heard it even faster. I do love the guitar inserts, it brightens the song. I have always felt that if you like this song and it’s flip side that you are a true Carpenters fan for it is such an easy listening piece, even more easy than the music labeled soft rock of the day. it is a true classic, especially the opening, ending, and bridge.
 
Of course, you "fast" commentators realize that there are two speeds commonly used on this recording. I've detailed "fast or slow" in the Complete Recording Resource.

 
Back
Top Bottom